Winks, Blushes, and Smiles
by Rosa Cotton
Summary: Joe is about to get on Nancy's last nerve, and her own feelings are running a close second.


Disclaimer: _Nancy Drew_ and the _Hardy Boys_ do not belong to me; this story gives me no profit but fun. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: This is my first Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys fic, though I am quite a fan of this fandom and wonderful stories here. This was a little plot bunny that came to mind and wouldn't go away. Feedback is more than welcomed! Frank and Nancy are 15, Joe is 14.

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Winks, Blushes, and Smiles

"I didn't realize this was going to be a dress party," Nancy murmured from the doorway of the dining room, looking about the decorated living room of the Hardy home at the other teenagers dressed in their nice shirts and skirts. With uncertainty she glanced over her flip-flops, faded jeans, and T-shirt proclaiming "Detective Girl" in blue letters. Her reddish-blond hair was loose, just brushing her shoulder blades.

Next to her Joe snorted. "It is simply my birthday party, not a dress party, dear Nancy." He draped one arm companionably around her shoulders. "And you look fine. Don't worry; you won't frighten away any of the guys." He gave her a long, slow wink.

Nancy shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Including you?"

"You know me!" he piped. "Blond hair, blues eyes, I'm hard to resist."

He was rewarded with a laugh. "Only you, Joe Hardy. Well…I cannot really do anything about it now anyway."

"Nope," Joe agreed readily.

"Joe, Mom wants to know if we should…," Frank trailed off as he realized he was interrupting. Then his brother and the girl turned around to face him. "Nancy!" He beamed.

"Hello, Frank," Nancy returned his smile and stepped forward when he opened his arms.

"You made it," he said.

"Uh-huh," she replied, retuning his embrace. Heat rose in her cheeks when Frank hugged her a moment longer than was necessary before stepping back. Stealing a glance over at Joe, she discovered the younger boy sporting an enormous grin. She was about to make a jab at him when Frank spoke.

"You look great, Nan," he said.

Blushing again, she smiled weakly at him. "Thank you. So do you," she commented. She glared at Joe as he masked his laughter with a cough.

"We need to get some dancing going," Joe decided. "I'll just put on some music and then go see what Mom needs," he said, now chuckling openly. Then he moved over to the stereo. Moments later, jazzy music filled the air, and several couples moved to the center of the room to dance. Throwing a final wink in Frank and Nancy's direction, Joe disappeared into the kitchen.

"Boys!" the girl huffed to herself.

Frank only gave her a Hardy trademark smile.

Nancy did not know if she was more annoyed or more embarrassed by Joe's frequent winks and huge grins whenever she and Frank were within a twenty-foot radius of each other. What she did know for a fact was that she was annoyed by how she would blush nearly every time Frank spoke to her. It had only started occurring the last time she and her father had run into the Hardy family, while on vacation in Florida. They and the Hardys had been staying at the same hotel. She, Frank, and Joe had ended up hanging out together, spending a lot of time at the beach.

For reasons she then could not pinpoint, Nancy had found herself at times acting almost _shy_ around Frank. Frank Hardy! With whom she had been friends for five years and, along with Joe, with whom she nearly always managed to get into some sort of trouble.

She had blushed at many things he had said to her. But there was no reason for her to act in such a way. He had not flirted with her or anything – he never did, unlike Joe. There had been a few times he'd teased her, but even then… Nancy was unsure if Frank was aware of her unusual behavior during that week. Joe had noticed. That was when the winks and grins had kicked in. And it had truly gotten on her nerves. A moment that she recalled clearly was the last day before she and her father returned to River Heights. That evening she and Frank had walked along the beach, discussing their upcoming junior years in high school; Joe had found them to say their parents were ready for them all to go out for dinner. She had not understood Joe's vast amusement when he began to lead them back until she discovered Frank was holding her hand. She had barely said anything to him for the rest of the night, bewildered and embarrassed.

_And_, she concludes with a small sigh and frown, _things have hardly changed since we last met: Frank is…well, Frank. Joe winks and grins. And I still act like a little girl._

"Penny for your thoughts, Nancy?"

The girl shook her head slightly and looked up at the tall dark-haired boy next to her. His head was tilted to one side as he watched her. She laughed nervously.

"Nothing worth sharing," she answered.

His brown eyes remained curious, but he simply nodded. "I'm glad you could make it. Joe kept peering out the window every two minutes when you didn't arrive by 5:01," he said, his lips twitching.

Nancy felt her cheeks grow warm again. _Stupid, stupid, stupid_, she silently scolded herself. "Dad and I got caught in traffic," she explained.

"Has Joe shared his brilliant idea about how we should have a joint birthday party?" Frank asked with a laugh. "Since our birthdays are two days apart?"

"Brilliant? Ha! We would be in school, and it isn't like we live just down the street from each other and can plan a get-together, let alone from opposite sides of the country." The girl shook her head. "I'm afraid all I'll be able to manage for the occasion is a birthday card for you, which I'll drop in the mail." She laughed.

Frank chuckled but did not continue the light jest and instead turned his attention to the dance floor, which was just clearing as the music had ended. Nancy was surprised at his lack of enthusiasm. Suddenly feeling awkward, she glanced about the room. Her attention focused on Joe who excused himself from a group of friends to make his way to the stereo, and fiddled with it. Nancy's curious expression turned to suspicion when a more romantic melody began. Catching Joe's eye, she was rewarded with a huge grin. She watched as he approached one of the girls and held out his hand to her. Others followed the two into the middle of the floor and began to slow dance.

For a few silent moments Nancy watched with an almost wistful expression. "It looks like fun," she mused to herself.

"Would you like to dance?"

"What?" Nancy's eyes were wide when she whipped her head to look at Frank.

"Would you like to dance?" he patiently repeated.

She was blushing so much her cheeks were burning. "With…with you?"

His smile slipped a little, and he looked uncertain. "I hoped so. Unless you want to dance with someone else," he added.

"N-no, I do not mind," she assured him, relieved her cheeks were cooling.

He then smiled and took her hand, leading her into the other dancers' midst. They didn't say anything when they faced each other. Nancy looped her arms around Frank's neck, clasping her hands together; he gently placed his hands on her waist. He smiled softly as she flushed a little. Foreheads touching, pools of ocean blue and chocolate brown mixing, they swayed back and forth to the slow music.

Close by, Joe noticed the two. They did not see him wink.

THE END


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